JP2022002946A - Air cleaning system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an air cleaning system mounted to an aircraft, such as an airliner.SOLUTION: A filter member includes a plurality of filter modules, and each of the plurality of filter modules includes a frame, a filter element connected to the frame and at least one engaging member. The at least one engaging member of each of the filter modules is configured to selectively engage with at least one engaging member of the other filter module to connect these filter modules in series.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The field of the present disclosure relates generally to air purifying systems, and more specifically to air purifying systems mounted on aircraft such as passenger aircraft.

The major routes of transmission of air-borne diseases include, for example, transmission of infection by inhaling air in tight conditions. In order to prevent infection and provide peace of mind, there are measures to disperse the positions of passengers in the aircraft cabin so that they can keep a distance from other passengers.

At least some of the aircraft's environmental control systems (ECS) have re-compressed air taken from outside the aircraft to mix it with the air inside the cabin and then pump the mixed air into the cabin cabin. A circulation system is provided. In such a system, filters are used to collect contaminants such as bacteria and viruses, which then recirculate the air into the cabin cabin. However, known recirculation systems require a lot of space inside the aircraft and consume a lot of energy during operation. In addition, existing recirculation systems may not be sufficient to reassure passengers that the air they breathe is clean.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the relevant technology with respect to the various aspects of the disclosure described and / or claimed below. The statements in this section provide background information that may be useful to the reader in understanding the various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, this statement should be construed from that perspective and should not be construed as a self-identification of the prior art.

In one aspect, an air purification system for purifying the air in an aircraft is provided. The air purifying system includes a filter member and an air purifying device including a fan configured to draw an air flow through the filter member. The air purifier system further comprises an aircraft structure configured to support the air purifier.

In another embodiment, the aircraft is provided. The aircraft is equipped with an air purification system for purifying the air inside the aircraft. The air purifying system includes a filter member and an air purifying device including a fan configured to draw an air flow through the filter member. The air purifier system further comprises an aircraft structure configured to support the air purifier.

In yet another embodiment, a method of purifying the air in the vicinity of a passenger seat in an aircraft is provided. In the method, the air purifier is supported by using an aircraft structure, the air flow is drawn into the air purifier by using a fan, and the air flow is passed through the filter member of the air purifier. And to expel the air stream in the vicinity of the passenger so that it can be taken in by breathing.

The features related to the above aspects can be modified in various ways. It is also possible to further incorporate additional features into the above aspects. Such variants and additional features may be included individually or in any combination. For example, the various features described in connection with the following exemplary examples can be incorporated alone or in combination into any of the embodiments described above.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the air purifier. It is a schematic diagram which shows the combination example of the filter element which can be used in the air purifier shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which attached the air purification system using the air purification apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to the side wall member of an aircraft. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 2nd Embodiment of the air purifier attached to the side wall member of an aircraft. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which attached the other air purification system using the air purification apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to the ceiling of an aircraft cabin. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which attached the other air purification system using the air purification apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to the seat of an aircraft. It is a schematic diagram which shows the control and electric power system of the air purifier shown in FIG.

If the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings, they represent the same member. It should be noted that certain features in the various embodiments may be shown in one drawing but not in another, but this is for convenience only. All of the illustrated features can be referenced and / or incorporated in the claims in combination with the features shown in the other drawings.

The air purifier system of the present disclosure includes an air purifier located near each passenger. The device may be portable or may be mounted at a particular location in the aircraft cabin. For example, it may be attached to the last row of the aircraft to provide an isolated area for the sick. The device can filter air using any combination of particle filters (eg HEPA), adsorbents, and sterilizing UV light sources. The device may be located on any of a sidewall assembly, a ceiling panel, a storage under the seat, an empty seat, or a floorboard panel. If a sick person occurs on board an aircraft, the exhaled air is filtered and disinfected by an air purification system and then circulated in the cabin. The air purifier may be configured to receive power from the aircraft system or may be configured to have an internal power source. The device can be operated from a flight deck, a crew panel, a passenger in-flight entertainment panel, or a control panel provided on the device itself to operate a fan and a suitable filter element.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of an air purifying system 100 including an air purifying device 101. In an example of this embodiment, the air purifying system 100 has an inlet 102 for taking in airflow from a source 104 and a predetermined location 108 (eg, a partitioned space). The cabin cabin, or compartment) has an outlet 106 for exhausting airflow. The air purification system 100 has a filter assembly 110 and a fan 112 arranged between the suction port 102 and the air outlet 106. The details will be described later. During operation, the fan 112 draws the airflow 114 from the suction source 104 through the filter member 110, and then the airflow 114 that has passed through the plenum 116 of the air purification system 100 is discharged to the discharge destination 108. To. More specifically, since the air flow 114 passes through the filter member 110 and is discharged toward the discharge destination 108, the pollutants are removed from the air taken into the air cleaning system 100 from the suction source 104. Can be done. The contaminants are, for example, solid particulate matter such as dust, pollen, bacteria, and viruses, or gaseous substances. The filter member 110 may include a number of filter elements for the air cleaning system 100 to realize the functions of the present disclosure.

In certain embodiments, the air purification system 100 is mounted on, for example, an aircraft (not shown) and is independent of the aircraft's environmental control system (ECS). More specifically, the air purifier 101 operates in conjunction with the ECS to further promote air purification in the cabin cabin and crew area. In such an embodiment, the intake source 104 and the discharge destination 108 are the same, for example, both are cabin cabins, both are cockpits, and both are crew compartments. Not only can the air purification system 100 be used for aircraft, but the air purification system 100 can be used for any structure with air flow, such as a building, platform, or vehicle. In addition, the air purifier 101 can be used in any system where it is desirable to filter contaminants from the air.

2A to 2C are schematic views showing an example of a combination of filter elements that can be used for the filter member 110 of the air purifier 101. Examples of the filter element included in the filter member 110 are not limited to, but are not limited to, high-performance air particles (that is, (HEPA: high-efficiency particulate air) filter medium), adsorption filter medium, and for example, a regeneration heating element, ozone. Includes functional filtering members such as light irradiation elements and / or ozone conversion elements. The particle filter medium has a function of removing particulate contaminants from the air flow 114 (see FIG. 1). More specifically, a HEPA filter that "has a high particle collection function" is a filter that captures bacteria and viruses with an efficiency of over 99% (Mild 282 standard). If the HEPA filter has a minimum capture efficiency of 99.97% for particles having a particle size of 0.3 μm, basically all pathogens and particulate matter are removed from the air flow passing through the filter.

The adsorption filter medium is, for example, activated carbon, but is not limited, and has a function of removing gaseous pollutants from the air flow 114. These filters can be selectively used in aircraft and can adsorb organic gases that are not captured by HEPA filters. The regeneration heating element has a function of regenerating the adsorption filter medium. The ultraviolet light irradiation element has a function of neutralizing viruses and bacteria contained in the air flow 114. The ozone conversion element functions as, for example, a catalytic converter that generates oxygen from outside air rich in ozone.

As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the plurality of filter elements included in the filter member 110 are connected in a predetermined combination or arrangement order based on the type of each filter element. Further, when the filter member 110 includes a particle filter medium and an adsorption filter medium, the particle filter medium is arranged upstream of the adsorption filter medium. With such an arrangement, the particulate contaminants of the air flow 114 are removed by the particle filter medium, so that the deposits on the adsorption filter medium can be reduced. Similarly, when the filter member 110 includes an adsorption filter medium and a regeneration heating element, the regeneration heating element is arranged upstream of the adsorption filter medium. With such an arrangement, the air flow 114 before passing through the adsorbed filter medium is heated, so that the regeneration of the adsorbed substance contained in the adsorbed filter medium can be promoted.

With reference to FIG. 2A, by way of example only, the filter member 120 of the first combination includes a first HEPA module 122 and a second HEPA module 124 connected in a predetermined arrangement order. In some embodiments, the first HEPA module 122 and the second HEPA module 124 have different filtration functions from each other, thereby improving the filtration efficiency of the filter member as a whole.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the second combination of filter members 126 includes a HEPA module 128 and a suction module 130 connected in a predetermined arrangement order. A regeneration unit 132 (shown by a dotted line) is arranged between the HEPA module 128 and the suction module 130, although it is not essential.

Referring to FIG. 2C, the third combination of filter members 134 includes a HEPA module 136 and an ultraviolet light unit 138 connected in a predetermined arrangement order.

The filter members shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C are for the purpose of illustration only, and the filter member 110 includes a different filter element, a plurality of filter elements of the same type, or the above-mentioned filter element. Any configuration is possible, such as one containing only one of them. For example, in FIGS. 2A to 2C, although a plurality of filter elements are included in any combination of filter members, the filter member 110 may include only one of the described filter elements.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example in which an air purifying system 100 using an air purifying device 101 is attached to a side wall member 140 of an aircraft 142. The side wall member 140 includes a side wall 144 and a window 146. The side wall 144 is provided with a suction port and an outlet corresponding to the suction port 102 and the air outlet 106 of the air flow 114, and the air purifying device 101 can be operated. The air purifying device 101 is attached to the side wall 144, in which the suction port 102 is arranged at a low position near the passenger's feet and the air outlet 106 is arranged near the window 146. According to such a configuration, the air flow 114 is taken in from the suction source 104 which does not include the exhaled breath, and the air flow 114 sent out from the outlet 106 flows toward the passenger's face. Is the discharge destination 108. Therefore, air that has just been filtered out of contaminants is supplied to the passengers.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example in which a second air purifying system 100a using an air purifying device 101a is attached to a side wall member 140 of an aircraft 142. In this exemplary embodiment, the air purifier 101a includes the same members as the air purifier 101, but with different configurations. Unlike the L-shaped plenum portion 116, the plenum portion 116a included in the air purifier 101a does not include a path in which the air flow 114 bends at an angle of 90 degrees. Further, the air purifying device 101a may include a filter element different from that of the device 101, and the configuration may need to be changed accordingly. The side wall 144 is provided with a suction port and an outlet corresponding to the suction port 102a and the air outlet 106a of the air flow 114, and the air purifying device 101a can be operated. The air purifier 101a is attached to the side wall 144, in which the suction port 102a is arranged at a low position near the passenger's feet and the air outlet 106a is arranged near the window 146. According to such a configuration, the air flow 114 is taken in from the suction source 104 which does not include the exhaled breath, and the air flow 114 sent out from the outlet 106a flows toward the passenger's face. Is the discharge destination 108. Therefore, air that has just been filtered out of contaminants is supplied to the passengers.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example in which an air purifying system 100b using an air purifying device 101 is attached to a ceiling member 148 of a cabin of an aircraft 142. In the illustrated embodiment, the cabin ceiling member 148 includes a ceiling panel 150, a pair of storage shelves 152 facing each other, and an ECS air distribution duct 154. The ceiling panel 150 is provided with a suction port and an outlet corresponding to the suction port 102 and the air outlet 106 of the air flow 114, and the air purifying device 101 can be operated. The air purifier 101 is attached to the ceiling panel 150 so that the suction port 102 is arranged at a position close to the passage portion 156 and the air outlet 106 is arranged at a position close to the storage shelf 152. According to such a configuration, the air flow 114 is taken in from the suction source 104 which does not include the exhaled breath, and the air flow 114 sent out from the outlet 106 flows toward the passenger's face. Is the discharge destination 108. Therefore, air that has just been filtered out of contaminants is supplied to the passengers.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an example in which an air purifying system 100c using an air purifying device 101 is mounted on a seat 156 of an aircraft 142. In one embodiment, the aircraft 142 includes a plurality of air purifiers 101, which are installed in any position, such as any combination of systems 100, 100a, 100b, and 100c shown in FIGS. 3-6. can do. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the air purifier 101 is installed in a rack 158 under the seat 156. As an alternative to or in combination with the above configuration, the air purifier 101 (shown by the dotted line as an optional configuration) is installed under the floorboard panel 160 of the aircraft 142. As an alternative to or in combination with the above configuration, the air purifier 101 is installed in an empty seat 156 located next to or behind any seat. In general, the air purifier 101 can be installed at any location on the aircraft 142 as long as the systems 100, 100a, 100b, and 100c are operational as described herein. Further, the air purifier 101 is portable, and the air purifier 101 can be installed at an arbitrary position in the aircraft 124.

As shown in FIG. 6, the air purification system 100c includes an elongated tube 162 connected to the outlet 106 for fluid communication, and a mask 164 connected to the tube 162 for fluid communication. During operation, the passenger removes the mask 164 from the storage position (not shown), attaches it to the face, and covers the nose and mouth with the mask 164. According to such a configuration, the air flow 114 is taken in from the inhalation source 104 under the seat 156, which does not include the exhaled breath. Further, since the discharge destination 108 is the mask 164, the air flow 114 discharged from the outlet 106 is directly supplied to the passenger through the tube 162. Therefore, passengers will be supplied with air that has just been filtered out of contaminants and will not be exposed to unfiltered air in the aircraft cabin.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the control and power system of the air purifier 101. In one embodiment, the air purifier 101 includes an internal power source 166 such as a battery, and power is supplied to the fan 112 and the filter member 110 as needed. For example, when the filter member 110 includes a regeneration unit or an ultraviolet light unit, the internal power supply 166 supplies electric power for operating the unit. As an alternative to or in combination with the above configuration, the air purifier 101 may be configured to be electrically connected to an external power source 168. In such an embodiment, the air purifier 101 may be connected to a power outlet (not shown) provided in the aircraft 142. In general, the air purifier 101 is supplied with power in any manner to perform the operations described herein.

In one embodiment, the operation of the air purifier 101 is properly manipulated from the flight deck 170 by the pilot or co-pilot. As an alternative to or in combination with the above configurations, the operation of the air purifier 101 is appropriately manipulated from the crew panel 172 inside the aircraft cabin. As an alternative to or in combination with the above configurations, the operation of the air purifier 101 can be operated by passengers, for example, from the in-flight entertainment panel 174. In general, the operation of the air purifier 101 is operated from anywhere in which the air purifier 101 can be controlled so that the operator activates the fan 112 or the appropriate filter element of the filter member. .. Since the aircraft 124 includes a plurality of air purifiers 101, in embodiments where the air purifier 101 is controlled from a flight deck 170 or a crew panel, each air purifier can be individually operated by the operator or crew. be.

The air purifier system of the present disclosure includes an air purifier located near each passenger. The device may be portable or mounted at a particular location in the aircraft cabin, for example, mounted in the rearmost row of the aircraft to provide an isolated area for the sick. The device can filter air using any combination of particle filters (eg HEPA), adsorbents, and sterilizing UV light sources. The device may be located on any of a side wall member, a ceiling panel, a storage under the seat, an empty seat, or a floorboard panel. If a sick person occurs on board an aircraft, the exhaled air is filtered and disinfected by an air purification system and then circulated in the cabin. The air purifier may be configured to receive power from the aircraft system or may be configured to have an internal power source. The device can be operated from a flight deck, a crew panel, a passenger in-flight entertainment panel, or a control panel provided on the device itself to operate a fan and a suitable filter element. Air purifiers can be used to isolate one passenger from another and can be effective in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. For example, it is useful when sequestering in a remote seat behind the aircraft, a break space for crew members or crew members in the aircraft, and the like.

The systems and methods of the present disclosure are not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, and the components of the system and / or the steps of the method are other components described herein. And / or can be used independently of the step.

It should be noted that certain features in the various embodiments may be shown in one drawing but not in another, but this is for convenience only. According to the principles of the present disclosure, any of the illustrated features can be referenced and / or incorporated in the claims in combination with the features shown in the other drawings.

In the present specification, the elements or steps described in the singular form do not necessarily exclude a plurality of elements or steps unless otherwise specified. In addition, reference to "one embodiment" or "exemplary embodiment" of the present invention is not intended to exclude the existence of another embodiment incorporating the features described in that embodiment. No.

The description herein discloses various embodiments, including the best mode, using examples, and various embodiments comprising the fabrication and use of any device or system, as well as the implementation of the incorporated methods. Is feasible for those skilled in the art. The patentable scope in the present disclosure is defined by the scope of claims and may include other examples that can be assumed by those skilled in the art. Other such examples are cases where they have components that are not different from the wording of the claims, or even configurations that have non-essential differences to the wording of the claims. If it contains elements, it should be considered to be included in the claims.

Claims (14)

An air purifying system for purifying the air inside an aircraft.
An air purifier including a filter member and a fan configured to draw airflow through the filter member.
An air purifying system comprising an aircraft structure configured to support the air purifier. The air purification system according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft structure includes at least one of a side wall member, a ceiling panel, a passenger seat, and a floor board panel. The air purifying system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air purifying device is a portable type that can be moved in the cabin of the aircraft. The air purifying system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air purifying device is remotely controlled from at least one of a flight deck, a crew panel, and an in-flight entertainment panel. The air purifying system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the air purifying device includes an internal power source. The air purifying system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the air purifying device receives electric power from the aircraft. One of claims 1-6, wherein the air purifier comprises an inhalation port located away from the exhaled exhaled air and an air outlet located at a position where the filtered air is discharged toward the passenger's face. The air purification system described in. The air purification system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the filter member includes at least one of a particle filter, an adsorbent, and an ultraviolet light source. The air purification system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a tube and a mask which are connected to the outlet of the air purifier through fluid communication and supply sterilized air directly to the passenger. The air purifying system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the air purifying device is configured to sterilize the air inhaled by a passenger by breathing. The air purifying system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the air purifying device is configured to sterilize the air exhaled by a passenger by breathing. The air purifying system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the air purifying device is configured to remove gaseous compounds. It ’s an aircraft,
The air purifying system is provided with an air purifying system for purifying the air in the aircraft.
An air purifier including a filter member and a fan configured to draw airflow through the filter member.
An aircraft comprising an aircraft structure configured to support the air purifier. A method of purifying the air near passenger seats on an aircraft.
Supporting air purifiers with aircraft structures,
Using a fan to draw air flow into the air purifier,
Passing the air flow through the filter member of the air purifier
A method comprising expelling the air stream in the vicinity of a passenger so that it can be taken up by breathing.

Images